The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-14

replied in an unconcerDed tone:
~ ou must excuse me, gentlemen, the pest OF
us are liable to make mistakes"
And when, after waiting long time for him
to bring wine that had been ordered with the
first breath the other gentleman veutured again
to demonstrate by inquiring pa,hetcally where
that wine was. the waiter put his hand on the
guests shoulder, patted it condescendingy. and
said. in the most soothing tone imaginable:
You shall have it, dear boy, you shall have
it. Be patient"
And again the gentlemen were too astounded
to resent the treatment that fate seemed to deal
out to them.
One of the hottest days of this hot season
stout woman, with flaming face, followed by
two children ran block and half down
Broadway in pursuit os When at last it
was overtaken it not the one she
wanted. A benevolent, elderly gentleman leav
ing the car at that moment and plying the
woman with the flaming face and the two chill
dren and the dsappoir tment, stepped up to her
and kindly asked
"What car is it you wish, madameF
That is my business" was the curt rejoinder,
and the benevolent gentleman pursued his way
refectively. The incident may be the loss of
helping hand to some other women who would
be grateful for ii.
But women queer if ! do say it who
shouldn't. / entered the other day where a
company of women returning from picnic
occupied all the seats. of unfortunates
stood hanging to the straps and joined the line.
was less unfortunate than the others in being
rather tall for woman, fact that brings me
no satisfaction, however. except in a crowd
street car, and this time it brought me rather
unpeasantly into notice. very small, short
woman was standing, who could not reach the
straps and who was otherwise unfortunate in
that the heat had driven her to the soda fount-
ain, or some other fountain time too many.
That is, she was slightly elevated. though, as /
said. not sufficiently so to reach the straps.
She repeatedly attempted to sit on the laps of
one or two of the more comfortable danes, each
of whom pushed her off with contemptous
mark. This set her irresponsible tongue in
motion. and we heard language do not like
to hear. Still when we'll dressed woman who
loudly boasts in public vehicle of her member
ship and influence in the Woman's Relief Corps,
permits herself to such language this:
''Get off my lap, you smell worse than a niggerl"
and her associates, equally we'll dressed and
presumably members also of the WIS. r. C. all
loudly laugh at the elegant speech, what can be
expected of a half-intoxicated creature was
thinking OF this when the said festive creature
pushed herself rudely against me, her head not
reaching my shoulder, however. l quietly
looked at her when she drew the attention of
every person in the car with:
There! that girl up there is a lady! She don't
laugh at your nonsenseln
Every ybody laughed then, myself included a
laugh being the best cover to my embarrass-
ment
A great deal is said about the sufferings of
women from the tnoughtlessness of tobacco.
users and the offenders are generally supposed to
be men, / was recently taking an outward bound
train and entered the ladies' waiting-room. l
was surprised and nauseated, as usual, by
strong smell of vile tobacco mean viler IAN
I often meet-and wondered who was breaking
the rule of the waiting room. Looking about 1
saw company of people sitting together, sur
rounded by luggage. The smoker among
them. and a woman. She was sitting
shoulder to shoulder with a man, who was half
asleep, and held between her lips short, dirty
pipe. putting away vigorously with the far away
lood of the habitua smoker. l curiously
watched her, and wondered if ever could. Be-
fore settled the question the woman reused
herself from the delicious trance, took the pipe
from her mouth, leaned forward and put it be-
tween the lips of her companion, who took up
the putting where she left off, and the somnifer-
Gus spark was not extineujshed 5ncIdnd ttY,t4
never could! But woman's depotion and
mans acceptance go further than this?
Mr.. Van Pelt nlanted his family at Asburv
Park and figuratvely chained himself to his desk
in town Mrs. Van Pelt bethought herself, the
other day, that the insurance on their house had
run out and, instead of botherng that poor dar-
ling with any more business. she would skim up
to town, get some needed things, and pop in on
her husband just before taking the train. How
pleased he would be! It hot the morning
she put this plan into operation, but there was
her dress maker away up in One-hundred-
and-twenty-third street, and she might
as well be killed by one stone as fatally
The errand done, she YEARLY plodded up the
long flight of steps leading to the
One and twenty fifth street station and
started her winding way. Between One
hundred and sixteenth and One hundred aud.
eighteenth streets are two sharp curves sixty feet
in the air A train fairly doubles itself and one
in the third and fourth cars ahead. AS this SER
pentlne operation took place. Mrs. Van Pelt OBJ
served In ehe third car in advance, on one of the
cross seats, q forward young mink with a
sailor hat cooked jauntily her short. curled
na1r Still further swung the ear, and the man
with the girl come within her line of vision. 1t
was then her eyeballs in their sockets danced
like peas in hot pan for there. with his profile
bent In a sickening attitude of pleased attention
she beheld her husband
Mrs Van Pet had green veil in her bag She
tied her suffering head up and crept into the
next ear, where, in the end seat, she could look
past the door handle at the pair On went the
woman they were all heading for Coney island
By boat and car Mr. Van Pelt and his girl had
Mrs. Van Pelt in pursuit. We will not linger at
the afternoon concert at the beach nor touch on
the dinner, nor dwell on the romantic stroll on
the esplanade. Then the new steamboat started
with our party aboard; it was dark as they neared
the city. Van Pelt and his divinity sat on two
campstools up near the forward rail.
The aveneing Nemesis just be-
hind. The girl had wrapped herself
in a red shawl, and produced from her pocket
green veil, to keep her feather from coming out
of curl The lights at Castle Garden came in
view Her course was not yet decided on. Mat
ters shaped themselves. Mr.. Van Pelt excused
himself to his young companion He would 60
aft and get light. AS he picked his wa Y among
the camp-stools and lovers Mrs. Van Pelt saw
her chance-rushed to the mink in the sailor
hat
II am that mans wife" said she. "apd I
ought to have you arrested. the instant we land,
for abandonment. misdemeanor, and the writ Of
certorari."
81 didn't know he was married man." snivel-
led the chit; she said he was widower from
Indianapolis ''I'll run away from him as soon
as the boat lands"
II don't care what you do then" said Mrs.
Van Now L want you to give your red
shs wi and go sit on that vacant stool. Here's
my shawl-lts a better than yours Go sit
on that stool, and if you open your head won't
he answerabe for you when you are in the
Tombs.'
The trembling girl exchanged shawls without
a word. She skipped to the vacant camp. stool
with sigh of thankfulness, just as old Van
Pelt got back